Hardy Ornamental Flowering Trees and Shrubs eBook

R. CEREUM (syn R. inebrians).—­North
America, 1827. One of the dwarfer-growing species
of Flowering Currant, forming a low, dense bush of
Gooseberry-like appearance, but destitute of spines.
By May it is in full flower, and the blooms, borne
in large clusters, have a pretty pinkish tinge.
The foliage is small, neat, and of a tender green that
helps to set off the pretty flowers to perfection.
It is a native of North-west America, and perfectly
hardy in every part of the country. Though not
equal in point of floral beauty with our common flowering
Currant, still the miniature habit, pretty and freely-produced
pink-tinted flowers, and fresh green foliage will all
help to make it an acquisition wherever planted.
Like the other species of Ribes the present plant
grows and flowers very freely in any soil, and almost
however poor.

R. FLORIDUM (syns R. missouriense and R.
pennsylvanicum).—­American Wild Black
Currant. North America, 1729. This should
be included in all collections for its pretty autumnal
foliage, which is of a bright purplish bronze.

R. GORDONIANUM (syns R. Beatonii and R.
Loudonii) is a hybrid between R. aureum and R.
sanguineum, and has reddish, yellow tinged flowers,
and partakes generally of the characters of both species.

R. MULTIFLORUM, Eastern Europe (1822), is another
desirable species, with long drooping racemes of greenish-yellow
flowers, and small red berries.

R. SANGUINEUM.—­Flowering Currant.
North-west America, 1826. An old inhabitant of
our gardens, and well deserving of all that can be
said in its favour as a beautiful spring-flowering
shrub. It is of North American origin, with deep
red and abundantly-produced flowers. There are
several distinct varieties as follows:—­R.
sanguineum flore-pleno (Burning Bush), with perfectly
double flowers, which are produced later and last
longer than those of the species; R. sanguineum album,
with pale pink, or almost white flowers; R. sanguineum
atro-rubens, with deeply-coloured flowers; R. sanguineum
glutinosum and R. sanguineum grandiflorum, bearing
compact clusters of flowers that are rosy-flesh coloured
on the outside and white or pinky-white within.

R. SPECIOSUM.—­Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry.
California, 1829. A Californian species, remarkable
for being more or less spiny, and with flowers resembling
some of the Fuchsias. They are crimson, and with
long, protruding stamens. As a wall plant, where
it often rises to 6 feet in height, this pretty and
taking species is most often seen.

The flowering Currants are of unusually free growth,
and are not at all particular about soil, often thriving
well in that of a very poor description. They
are increased readily from cuttings and by layers.

ROBINIA.

ROBINIA DUBIA (syns R. echiuata and R. ambigua).—­A
very pretty garden hybrid form, said to have for its
parentage R. Pseud-Acacia and R. viscosa. It
is of quite tree-like growth and habit, with unusually
short spines, and Pea-green foliage. The flowers
are produced pretty freely, and are of a pale rose
colour, and well set off by the light-green leaves,
over which they hang in neat and compact spikes.